Spa-Francorchamps 2014 – Rating pilots on the results and the intra-team battle

Why? Because you need to see the value of drivers also where the car is not competitive. And because your teammate is the first you have to defeat in Formula 1!

Tyres change – we will use the 1-to-6 rating scale, meaning that 6 is the highest rating we assign for the best performance (the racing car is provided with supersoft tyres) and 1 is the lowest rating assigned by us for the weakest performance (the racing car is provided with wet weather tyres). But we will not take into account the performance of the car or other things that are not under the direct control of the drivers.

(+)Race car driver: Daniel Ricciardo. He manages to take advantage of each opportunity, he makes no mistake and besides he wins races.

(-) Cab driver: Kevin Magnussen. To force the drivers to exit the circuit – even his teammate – once, twice or three times it is too much even for us who generally approve an aggressive style of driving.

Race performance rating: 7 out of 10.

Red Bull: Vettel rating 4 (3, 5) – Ricciardo rating 6 (5, 1)

We have no reason to feel sorry for Vettel. His teammate overtakes him obviously, race after race and he already has three victories this year whereas Sebastian has none.On September 19th last year Vettel said: “If Daniel wins the championship (meaning if he beats him – Sebastian beeing sure that moment they would have the best racing car), I will look like a fool.” Sebastian is too young and too proud.

Spa-Franchorchamps 0 – 1

Overall score 2 – 10

Mercedes: Rosberg rating 5 (1, 4) – Hamilton rating 5 (21, 3)

Many people will dislike the F1 Manager verdict, but we have no reason to downgrade Rosberg, unless for his tyre damaging on Vettel’s tail.As Hamilton said in Hungary ‘I run for myself and not for himself’, Rosberg did the same thing. Of course, the discussions can be endless and this is not good for the team. But we are not the ones who were paid for that – Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe are – in order to have the reason to be concerned with such things. We’re just F1 supporters and we are glad that the Mercedes bosses will have their hearts in their boots at Monza when the race will begin. And they won’t be the only ones.

Spa-Franchorchamps 1 – 0

Overall score 6 – 6

Ferrari: Alonso rating 6 (4, 7) – Raikkonen rating 6 (8, 4)

It is very stupid the rule according to which a driver receives penalties because of his team remaining on the starting grid by 15 seconds longer. What does the driver have to do with it and how does it help the sportsmanship and the creating of the fair play spirit? It helps for nothing, on the contrary.

However Raikkonen did a good race and received the F1 Manager second point this year.

Spa-Franchorchamps 0 – 1

Overall score 10 – 2

McLaren: Button rating5 (7, 10) – Magnussen rating 5 (20, 12 )

Speaking only about the race driving and about the fact that Kevin caused no damage afterwards, except to himself, we won’t downgrade him. And neither Button. Our point goes to Magnussen, because he was faster in qualifying.

Spa-Franchorchamps 0 – 1

Overall score 8 – 4

Lotus: Grosjean rating 5 (15, 20) – Maldonado rating 4 (17, 21)

We give points only on the qualifications within the Lotus team. This team doesn’t seem to find its track.

Spa-Franchorchamps 1 – 0

Overall score 8 – 3

Force India: Hulkenberg rating 4 (18, 10) – Perez rating 6 (13, 8)

Hulkenberg pays for the mistake made in qualifying.

Spa-Franchorchamps 0 – 1

Overall score 8 – 4

Sauber: Sutil rating 6 (14, 14) – Gutierrez rating 5 (20, 15 )

Sauber teamstill gets very few points.

Spa-Franchorchamps 1 – 0

Overall score 7 – 5

Williams: Massa rating 4 (9, 13) – Bottas rating 6 (6, 3)

Well, if it happens to Felipe Massa to have a ‘bad luck’ again also at Monza, in my opinion it is likely that he won’t race any more in Formula 1 next year. If in the race he hit Kimi he was guilty 5%, if in the incident with Magnussen he was guilty 55%, how could it be possible for his car collecting the Hamilton’s tyre debris if he was so far from it?

The other drivers could avoid the debris in a way or another, but he didn’t manage to. Perhaps the fault is minimal, but Bottas makes Massa look worse this season, as a bad driver, of course. In addition, the Finn has defeated him in the qualifying since the last 4 races.

Spa-Franchorchamps 0 – 1

Overall score 5 – 7

Toro Rosso: Kvyat rating 6 (11, 9) – Vergne rating 5 (12, 11)

If Vergne doesn’t do something spectacular, we will not see him any more in Formula 1 next year.